On the Road Again
By Shamarr Allen
http://offbeat.com/artman/publish/article_3646.shtml
This past February, trumpet player Shamarr Allen was tapped to be part of the Willie Nelson’s touring band in support of Willie and the Wheel, his Western swing collaboration with Asleep at the Wheel. OffBeat asked Allen to keep a tour diary; here are excerpts.—ED.
Feb 11: Red Bank, New Jersey
The day started with me eating room service breakfast before getting back on the bus from the hotel to head to the Count Basie Theatre. We arrive at the venue and it looks like a scene from an old movie, maybe Harlem Nights.
We arrive at maybe noon but we start rehearsals at 2 to go over
arrangements with Willie. Soundcheck was for 4 o’clock, but we did
rehearsals for two hours before that.
Just before show time, I freshened up, put on my suit coat and I was
ready! I went over the Asleep at the Wheel songs, the Willie songs and
the new Willie and the Wheel CD songs. I entered the stage to
a sold out crowd, and the show started with Asleep at the Wheel. After
“South,” Willie was introduced to a standing ovation. We are supposed
to do the stuff from the new CD, but Willie jumps straight into
“Whiskey River.” Wow! From that point, the set list was out the window.
He started calling songs that weren’t even on the list. I was saying to
myself, “Oh snap!” But then I thought, “I’m from New Orleans. I get
thrown musical curve balls every other night.” So I was ready. Willie
pointed me out to solo in every other song, which was cool. For one
solo, I wanted to mess with the crowd, so I did a trick I learned. I
held one note for maybe three or four choruses. It messed Willie up! He
had a smile on his face like a big kid with a new toy.
This show was a learning experience for me, so I was in awe most of
it. Willie has so much charisma onstage, I’m trying to see what I can
add to my show. But this guy doesn’t dance or anything. He stands in
front of the microphone and doesn’t move until he’s ready for someone
to solo, but people rarely took their eyes off of him. It’s like they
were hypnotized.
At the end, Willie pulled me on the side and said, “Great show, man.
You must have super lungs. How do you do that?” I told him circular
breathing. He said I had to teach him how to circular inhale.
Feb 12: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
We performed
once again to a sold out house, which made the gig that much better. We
did all the Asleep at the Wheel stuff, and Elizabeth McQueen did a
killer version of “What a Wonderful World” that had the audience about
to tear up.
For Willie’s show, we started with “Whiskey River” same as the first
show, but this show was different. He gave everyone their spotlight,
but he played way more guitar solos than last night. His approach to
his solos is crazy, and I don’t care how good of a guitar player you
think you are, you can’t copy how he plays. It’s seasoned.
Tonight Willie cut me loose on a song that makes me laugh every time
he sings it. Willie starts the song, “too many pain pills, too much pot
/ trying to be something that I’m not. / Superman.” I think it’s
hilarious. “I used to fake a heart attack and lie down on the floor /
even I don’t think that’s funny anymore.” I play “Superman” and he
points at me and gives me that smile. He wanted me to hold that note
for him. I do so and the crowd eats that up. He’s still smiling and
tells me to keep holding it so I do. I release the note and the place
roars. He’s laughing, and I’m glad he likes it.
Feb 13: Utica New York
It’s cold. Being the southern boy I am, I hate the cold weather.
Before the show, I chilled with Paul English, Willie’s drummer. He
tells me he used to be play trumpet, but he put it down. “I make more
money playing drums,” he said. He only plays the snare now. The reason?
“Every time I messed up, Willie took one from me.” I thought that was
hilarious.
After the show, Willie signed autographs for the whole crowd except
for this one lady. She looked to be about 90 and couldn’t get to the
front of the stage like everyone else. She wanted Willie to sign her
poster, which he would have done; he just didn’t see her. I stopped her
and brought her to the stage, took her poster to the side of the stage
and got Willie to sign it. When I gave her the poster, she almost cried.
I found out that Willie did an interview with the Wall Street Journal
where he tells them what he’s enjoying most about doing the show is the
horns and that guy Shamarr. I tried to keep my cool, but I’m so happy
right now. That Willie thinks I can play makes me feel like my years of
practicing have paid off.
Feb 14: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
I ate lunch at the venue with Mickey Raphael, Willie’s harmonica
player. He asked me about my computer because he wants to get a new
one. He also asked me about skype
and how to use it. I didn’t think that Mickey was a very social person;
it turns out he is and he has a lot of stories, just like Paul. They
are living my dream, but I think I’m living my dream now, too.
Feb 15: Albany, New York
(Asleep at the
Wheel’s) Ray Benson sat me down and told me how the business goes. He
said I should just go as Shamarr and not Shamarr Allen. The easier it
is, the more people will remember it.
Then I got some bad news. I wouldn’t be doing The Letterman Show with
Willie and the Wheel. I was bummed out about that, but I found out Paul
Schaffer recorded on Willie and the Wheel and wanted his horns to play with Willie. I can respect that, but I bet if he had heard me, he would have changed his mind.
Feb 17: Roanoke, Virginia
I was bored, so I
told our runner I needed a trumpet stand just to ride through the city.
He’s a cool old dude named Eddie, and we were talking about Larry the
Cable Guy, who I think is hilarious! At the music store, there was a
doctor who knows Mr. Eddie, and the doctor kept asking does he need
anything. After we leave, Eddie says he used to be his doctor until his
insurance company found out he had cancer and dropped him from the
policy.
Feb 18: Williamston, North Carolina
Tonight
Willie clowned and threw his hat into the crowd. A beautiful girl threw
her bra onstage; we laugh our behinds off. Then some guy threw a hat,
another threw a hat and a few threw some pot. I’ve never seen a woman
actually throw a bra on stage.
February 19: Boone, North Carolina
I finally
got a chance to go on Willie’s bus. I didn’t even have to ask. Tony in
the catering room told me about how the police in Louisiana Exit 104
harassed them when they got busted for a little weed. Well, maybe it
wasn’t a little, but who cares? It’s Willie Nelson. Then he brought up
the show at Lincoln Center with Willie and Wynton.
I told him I wished I could have seen it. He said Willie had a
recording of the show and wanted me to hear it and brought me on the
bus to tell Willie to play it for me. Then it hit me, I’m on Willie’s
bus.
His bus is pimped out. The back lounge isn’t a back lounge; it’s
Willie’s bedroom. Willie is playing the Wii. He offered to play me, but
I don’t want to get my butt whipped by an old man. I would never be
able to live it down, like when Paul Sanchez beat me on Madden.
He also offered me something else I also turned down. Before I left
New Orleans, my friends said I had to smoke with Willie. It was like
taking communion from the Pope.
The bus cleared out, but Willie asked me to stay. He asked if I
thought about living in Austin. I said no. Then he asked if I come
there a lot. Again no. This seems totally strange. Then the words I
never thought I’d hear: “I want you to record with me at the beginning
of May.” Before I even thought about it, I said yes. Then I realized I
might have to cancel my Jazz Fest set in order to do this, but this is the chance of a lifetime.
Feb 20: Durham, North Carolina
This is where Branford
lives, so I call him but he’s performing in Dallas. He says, “Tell
Willie I said what’ up.” Then before the show, me and Willie were
talking again. I told him my little brother and friend both play
guitar. He unexpectedly gave me a few guitar picks to give to them. We
sat on the bus and listen to some previously recorded shows.
Feb 21: Greensboro, North Carolina
Today is that I found out who I was recording with. Willie called me on
the bus to tell me the songs he wanted me to record and then he gave me
the names of the other people recording: Ray Price and Leon Russell
with Buddy Cannon producing and me on trumpet. How do I wind up in such
a legendary lineup?
Feb 23: Austin, Texas
After a long ride, we got ready to do the taping of Austin City Limits.
It’s a special show because this is the 35th anniversary show. Willie
playing it is even more special because he performed the very first
one. To have him open up the 35th season’s first show is cool, and I’m
happy I’m a part of that. The legendary studio that looks so big on TV
is small, about the size of Snug Harbor or a little bigger.
I didn’t know taping this show was so much work. We had to perform the
whole show twice during the day before the actual taping that night.
But the show was really cool; the music was tighter than it had ever
been, I guess because everyone was finally getting a feel for how
Willie does what he does.
After the taping, Willie called me on the bus. He wants me to finish
the tour at his club in Carl’s Corner, Texas. How can you tell Willie
no? So I’m flying home in the morning for my Mardi Gras gig, then I’m
flying back out that day to finish the tour at Willie’s Place.
Feb 25: Carl’s Corner, Texas
Mardi Gras whipped
my butt. After two flights and a day of partying, I’m surprised I’m
still moving, but I’m young. I can handle it.
This show was the smallest show of the tour outside of the
taping—about 500 people. Willie’s Place looks like an old saloon, and I
like the fact that he has a bus barn on the back of it so he can drive
right up to the stage.
The show was a lot looser than the other shows. This always happens
when you play for a smaller group of people. You can feel their
presence rather than just see them. After the show, people were getting
sad. The members of Asleep at the Wheel all gave me their contact info
and said call if I’m ever in Austin. Before I leave, I go on Willie’s
bus to say bye. He says, “I see you’re playing Jazz Fest
while we’re recording. What are you going to do?” I said, “Whatever
works for you.” He said, “Play the fest and come after.” He told me to
take his personal phone number and call him whenever. What?! I’ve
played with a few people who I won’t mention, and I’ve got to call six
or seven people to get in touch with them. The intern, the secretary,
the assistant, the manager and then whoever. Then you get an answer
back a week later. Willie actually gave me his phone number and said
keep in touch. That’s real!
Published May 2009, OffBeat Louisiana Music & Culture Magazine, Volume 22, No. 5.